In his State of the State address in January, Gov. John Hickenlooper said, “As we strive to make Colorado healthier, we believe in equal rights for all regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. We don’t believe we should legislate what happens inside a church or place of worship, but government should treat all people equally. It’s time to pass civil unions.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper was admirably blunt regarding civil unions in his State of the State address this year.

“As we strive to make Colorado healthier, we believe in equal rights for all regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation,” the governor declared. “We don’t believe we should legislate what happens inside a church or place of worship, but government should treat all people equally.

“It’s time to pass civil unions.”

If, like us, the governor believes those words — and we have no doubt he does — he should consider calling a special session of the legislature if key House Republicans let Senate Bill 2, which would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, expire this week through parliamentary gimmicks. There is simply no excuse for obstructionist behavior on such a high-profile bill of major importance.

If final defeat were foreordained, then sitting on the bill might be overlooked. But defeat is not inevitable. To the contrary: The legislation would very likely pass not only its final committee test but also a vote in the full House, too.

Since passing through the Senate, SB 2 has already survived votes in two House committees, thanks in each case to a single Republican breaking from the pack to vote with Democrats. And the bill would almost certainly clear Appropriations, too, where Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, has indicated support.

Given the 33 to 32 party split in the House and the fact that several other Republicans have signaled they’d support the measure, a full floor vote might not even be close.

Ominously, however, both the Appropriations committee chairman, Rep. Jon Becker, R-Fort Morgan, and House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, have raised the possibility that SB 2 won’t get so much as a single additional look. “This late in the process we’ll see what comes out of committees and talk about Appropriations in the morning,” Becker said today. What comes out of committees? He already knows of one big item awaiting his panel’s attention. So get on with it.

As for McNulty, he’s said that even if the bill passes to the House floor on Tuesday, there’s no guarantee it will be promptly debated. And yet if it’s not, it’s dead.

McNulty points out that the Democrat-controlled Senate let bills its leaders didn’t like die without a vote last year, as if such stunts would justify his decision to mimic them.

In fact, killing a popular bill through an outright refusal to act is not only anti-democratic, in this case it’s also self-destructive, as civil unions are widely supported by independent voters. Does McNulty want to build a Big Tent party or cater to a narrow base?

We do mean “narrow,” too. At this year’s GOP state assembly, a resolution supporting civil unions attracted fully 45 percent of the votes.

Becker and McNulty are implying there isn’t time to consider civil unions. But that can be remedied. The governor can call a special session — and put them on the spot.